Recipes

Swiss Steak

  • Serves

    serves 6

Swiss steak may derive its name from the process of "swissing" textiles, in which cloth is pressed between rollers to soften it.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 34 cup flour
  • 1 (2 1/2-inch–thick) top round steak (about 3 lbs.)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. sweet paprika
  • 8 sprigs flat-leaf parley, plus 2 tbsp. chopped leaves, for garnish
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 3 (12-oz.) bottles of beer
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, with purée, crushed by hand
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°. Heat 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Put flour on a wide plate. Season steak generously all over with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour. Brown steak in dutch oven, turning once, until deep golden brown, 12–14 minutes in all. Transfer steak to a large plate; wipe clean.

Step 2

Heat 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, cloves, onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 5–6 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, tie parsley and thyme sprigs together with butcher's twine; add to pot along with two bottles of beer and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; add reserved steak. Cover dutch oven with foil, then the lid. Transfer dutch oven to oven; braise for 1 hour. Uncover dutch oven, flip steak over, and add remaining bottle of beer; cover again with foil and lid. Return to oven; braise steak until tender, about 1 hour more.

Step 4

Uncover dutch oven and discard foil; return to oven. Cook until sauce has thickened and steak has browned, 15–20 minutes more. Discard herb bundle. Season sauce with salt and pepper; transfer to a large platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if you like.

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